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As J.J. Stokes joins a new employer, it's worth reflecting on what might have been, on why draft day 1995 lives large in 49ers infamy.
Don't bother wondering what Stokes could have done if he hadn't been hurt so often, or what he could have achieved if the 49ers' quarterbacks had thrown to him more often. He would have seen more passes if he had deserved them. Quarterbacks and offensive coordinators don't overlook receivers whom they really trust.
The what-ifs aren't about Stokes. They can be summed up in three names: Derrick Brooks, Eric Moulds and Ray Lewis.
Brooks, the leader of the defense that won the Super Bowl for Tampa Bay, was the No. 28 pick in the 1995 draft. He went 18 slots below Stokes. More important, he went just two places above the pick the 49ers had before they traded away a slice of their future to grab Stokes....
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Don't bother wondering what Stokes could have done if he hadn't been hurt so often, or what he could have achieved if the 49ers' quarterbacks had thrown to him more often. He would have seen more passes if he had deserved them. Quarterbacks and offensive coordinators don't overlook receivers whom they really trust.
The what-ifs aren't about Stokes. They can be summed up in three names: Derrick Brooks, Eric Moulds and Ray Lewis.
Brooks, the leader of the defense that won the Super Bowl for Tampa Bay, was the No. 28 pick in the 1995 draft. He went 18 slots below Stokes. More important, he went just two places above the pick the 49ers had before they traded away a slice of their future to grab Stokes....
more
